A Maltese investigative journalist who exposed the island nation's links to offshore tax havens through the leaked Panama Papers was killed Monday when a bomb exploded in her car, the prime minister said.

A Maltese investigative journalist who exposed the island nation's links to offshore tax havens through the leaked Panama Papers was killed Monday when a bomb exploded in her car, the prime minister said.

Alec Baldwin has reprised in his role as Donald Trump for the latest episode of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, identifying the US president as the true martyr of the tragic Charlottesville rally.

When a fairly innocuous question about autopsy results in passports being confiscated and extra police being assigned to your hotel, you can’t help but wonder what the hell is going to happen, reporter Pete Stefanovic tells.

Australian aircraft in Iraq support roles

Two RAAF aircraft have begun missions into Iraq to support US and other coalition combat aircraft taking on Islamic State.

But federal cabinet has yet to get Iraqi government approval for RAAF Super Hornets to undertake bombing raids.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott told parliament on Wednesday while Australia was reluctant to "reach out" for conflicts thousands of miles away the IS, or ISIL, extremist group was reaching out to Australia.

Last month the government pre-deployed eight Super Hornets, a Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft, a refueller aircraft and 600 military personnel including special forces members to Australia's Middle East base in the United Arab Emirates.

Mr Abbott said while a final decision had not been made to commit the Super Hornets to airstrikes, the Australian Wedgetail and refueller aircraft would start flying over Iraq from Wednesday in support of allied operations.

"Ours are support operations, not strike missions," he said.

"Australian air strikes await final clearances from the Iraqi government and a further decision by our own."